Description

WALSOKEN CHURCH ROAD
TF 41 SE
2/64 Church of All Saints
11.8.51
G.V. I
Parish church. Nave and chancel late C12, west tower mid C13, aisles
remodelled C14, further alterations C15. Rendered or cemented ashlar and
lead roofs. 4 stage tower with polygonal clasping buttresses standing on
low base course. First stage with arcade of blind pointed arches on columns
with waterholding bases and moulded capitals, undercut arch mouldings. Round
arched west door with complex and deeply undercut arch mouldings supported
on 3 orders of shafts with stiff-leaf capitals, all much restored in C19.
Second stage have trefoil-headed arcade. To west the centre 2 arches are
pierced as windows, also one similar light to south. Third stage with
polygonal shafts rising full height with pointed blind arched recesses between
shafts. To north, south and west one pointed lancet illuminates ringing
chamber. To east original nave roof line remains. Belfry and spire C14.
2-light ogeed belfry windows with hood mould. Crenellated parapet with
polygonal angle turrets extending from clasping buttresses. Hexagonal spire
with concave gabled lucarnes in one tier. 5-light south aisle west window
with stepped lights beneath depressed 4-centred arch. Diagonal buttress at
corner. Aisle windows to flank are 3 or 4-light square-headed with ogeed
lights, restored or renewed C19. Priests door has 5 trefoiled lights over
it, also with square hood; doorway of one order of shafts below wave moulded
arch of c.1340. C14 gabled south porch with angle buttresses and stilted
arch. North and south clerestory of 7 3-light C15 panel tracery windows below
basket arches. To west of south clerestory one punched encircled quatrefoil
in square surround. Crenellated parapet, that to north rebuilt in brick.
Principal merlons of parapet carry crocketted finials. Bellcote over east
nave gable with ogee opening. North nave aisle pierced by 4 3-light ogeed
windows with depressed arches. To west of arched north doorway are 2 2-light
reticulated windows. C13 corbel table beneath eaves reused when aisle
constructed. C15 south chancel chapel in 3 bays. One 4-light and one 3-light
window to western 2 bays. 2 storey eastern chapel added 1536 lit by 2 2-light
cusped square-headed windows to ground floor sharing a common hood mould and
one 3-light cusped square-headed window to upper floor. Eastern wall of this
chapel pierced by similar windows with that to first floor elaborated into
tracery head below depressed arch. Stepped buttresses flank 5-light C15
Perpendicular east chancel window. Paired shafts survive from early C13
to right and left, each with stiff-leaf capitals. Against east wall of north
chancel chapel a C20 brick boiler house. 3 north windows of this chapel cusped
under depressed arches. Interior. 7 bay arcade of late C12 with alternating
circular and octagonal piers each with square abaci above scalloped capitals.
Eastern responds have waterleaf capitals, now c.1200. Round arches carry
zig-zag mouldings and have hood moulds. Pointed chancel arch with paired
columns to west with 8 annulated rings. Capitals struggle for coherent
identity between scalloped, waterleaf or crocket. Northern responds cut for
insertion of late C15 4-centred rood stair doorway. Chancel arch with 3 orders
of zigzag, billet and roll mouldings. Tower arch is fully C13 : pointed,
on keeled columns with subsidiary keeled colonnettes to east and west, crocket
capitals and deeply undercut arch. Tower windows shafted on interior. C15
nave roof. Hammerbeams on arched braces drop on wall posts to corbels. The
wall posts have canopied niches containing painted figures of Kings and
Prophets. Painted angels terminate hammberbeams. Cambered tie beams sit on
hammberbeams and are moulded, as are one tier butt purlins and ridge piece.
South aisle roof of principals on arched braces with wall posts dropping
to corbels. Carved figures stand in canopied niches on wall posts. Rafters
with roll moulded edges and 2 tiers moulded butt purlins. North aisle roof
much altered. Plain tie beams supported on straight braces with wall posts.
Purlin carried on 3 braces from each tie and C19 ladder bracing runs full
length between purlin and tie beams. Over tower arch a carved timber
representation of throned King Solomon, and to right and left wall paintings
depict 2 women and child (Judgement of Solomon). Probably C17, as is carved
timber figure of King David with harp over chancel arch. Fine octagonal 7
sacraments font dated 1544 on base. The sacraments are on bowl within cusped
niches, the additional scene is the Crucifixion. On stem are figures of
8 saints. 8 C15 poppyhead bench ends in nave with figures in ogee niches.
At east ends of aisles are arches leading to chancel chapels approached
through parclose screens. C16 south screen of 2 bays right and left of
4-centred opening. Elaborate closely panelled tracery in head, each bay of
which is subdivided. North parclose screen of 4 bays right and left of square
central opening. Dado restored, ogeed tracery in heads of lights. Chancel.
2 bay arcade on central circular piers and octagonal responds. Eastern
capitals are of waterleaf type, central piers carry scalloped capitals as
does south-west respond. North-west respond with crocket capitals. Round
arches with double order of zig-zag. 4 blocked clerestory windows each side,
all round-headed, the eastern windows taller. Dado marked by billet moulding
which rises over low round-headed door to north. In south wall a blocked
C13 arch pierced by a blocked C14 stilted doorway. East window flanked by
double annulated shafting with stiff-leaf capitals. Chancel roof of moulded
butt purlins on moulded arched braces, otherwise all renewed. C19 parclose
screens between chancel and north and south chapels. Extensively restored
C16 choir stalls with heads as hand rests. Late C15 south chapel roof :
alternating large and small moulded arched braces on wall posts support
moulded principals. Larger principals decorated with carved ribbon trail
and have figures against their wall posts. 2 tiers moulded and pierced butt
purlins and ridge piece.

Listing NGR: TF4772010544

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536398

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
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  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
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  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)